Living at Pansy Cottage – no longer standing – in Haverfield Road, his primary education was at Spalding Parish Church Day School, where he showed such promise that, aged 11, he was awarded a governors’ free scholarship to Spalding Grammar School, which happened to be located just across the road from his home. The governors’ faith was not misplaced since, by the time he left school in July 1940, he was a senior sixth-former, school prefect, vice-captain of the 1st XV with his rugby colours, member of the school cricket 1st XI and captain of Gamlyn House. He gained his School Certificate, an intermediate scholarship and his matriculation in July 1938. Jack left the school in July 1940 and three months later he was in the RAF, having volunteered and been accepted for pilot training. In October 1940, 18-year-old Jack Cheney began the transition from sixth-form schoolboy at Spalding Grammar to night-fighter pilot in the RAF, with a first operational posting at RAF Wittering. Jack entered the RAF in November 1940 as an airman in No 5 Flight of ‘C’ Squadron at No 7 Initial Training Wing (7 ITW) in Newquay.
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